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Ozone Precursor Volatile Organic Compound Measurements using Novel Canister Sampler in Northeastern New Mexico
Citation:
George, I., E. Thoma, W. Mitchell, L. Alston, S. Apodaca, M. Sather, A. Scott, B. Sive, R. Szkoda, D. Pan, AND A. Marsavin. Ozone Precursor Volatile Organic Compound Measurements using Novel Canister Sampler in Northeastern New Mexico. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, Chicago, IL, December 12 - 16, 2022.
Impact/Purpose:
This is a poster for the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting in Chicago, IL to be held on December, 12-16, 2022. Carlsbad, New Mexico has experienced elevated ozone levels over the 2015 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) over the past several years. There are many oil and gas facilities near Carlsbad in the Permian Basin and emissions from these facilities could contribute to these observed ozone levels. There is little information on the concentrations of ozone precursor volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the area around Carlsbad. This presentation discusses the deployment of a novel EPA-developed measurement technology called the remotely operated canister sampler (ROCS). These low-cost, solar-powered canister sampling devices can remotely collect whole air samples via text message. This presentation discusses the first deployment of multiple ROCS systems in the Carlsbad area in the summer of 2021 and in the analysis of results.
Description:
The southwestern region of the United States has recently been challenged by poor air quality issues that may in part be caused by emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other air pollutants from the numerous oil and gas facilities in the Permian Basin located in New Mexico and Texas. The Carlsbad, New Mexico area has experienced elevated ozone levels over the past several years and ambient concentrations over the 2015 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) have been recorded. VOC emissions not only lead to ozone, particle, and smog formation, but many of these compounds are also considered hazardous air pollutants that can be directly harmful to affected communities. However, ozone precursor and air toxic VOC measurements that are needed to understand the impacts of the oil and gas emissions in the Carlsbad area are severely limited. In this work, whole air canister samples were collected over the summer of 2021 in four locations in southeastern New Mexico to quantify a large suite of ozone precursor VOC compounds. Samples were collected using a novel EPA-developed measurement technology, the remotely operated canister sampler (ROCS), which are low-cost, solar-powered canister sampling devices that can remotely collect whole air samples via text message. The first field demonstration of these next-generation samplers was conducted as part of this study. Preliminary speciated VOC results from samples collected using the ROCS systems deployed in four locations in and around Carlsbad during summer 2021 will be discussed.